The Rising
by thundersenshi
Summary: The rising of the thirteenth moon brings forbidden glory...and an unexpected turn of events breaks the binding of blood between Larva and Miyu.


THE RISING -- Prologue  
by Spatula Gurl  
  
  
"A storm?"  
  
The woman's dark eyes scanned the dimly lit heavens above her, her   
features assuming a weary expression as she noted the bluish-gray tints   
that streaked the skies.  
  
She hadn't expected a storm. She was sure there had been no mention of such   
in the weather news that morning. And 'it' being her only means of   
entertainment throughout the dark expanse of the old bookstore, she should   
know. When she wasn't busy rearranging the books or diminishing the supply   
of paperclips to make trinkets, she was listening to good old weather news.  
  
A gust of cold wind whisked against her direction, rifting through her   
unkempt mass of brown hair. She hadn't even bothered to tie it up   
when she left for work this morning. It now lay in a dull, scraggly heap   
about her shoulders, but she paid them no mind. She was on her way home,   
anyway. Then, feeling the bite of chill air through her shabby sweater,   
she rubbed her arms. She frowned when her palms made contact with the thin,   
coarse material of her covering. The feeling of coldness was easily   
seeping into her bones as if she weren't wearing a stitch of clothing. She   
might've run around naked and it wouldn't have made a difference.   
  
She really had to buy herself a new sweater. The scent of mothballs was   
beginning to make her sick, anyway.  
  
But for the moment, all she could think of was going home. She quickened   
her pace to a brisk walk, stealing glances at the early evening sky as she   
breezed past a few people walking the opposite direction. The clouds were   
a stormy gray, and there was a definite bite in the air, but it hadn't   
begun to rain yet. Was it just her luck? Or maybe it wasn't going to rain   
after all. The skies had begun to darken more than a few minutes ago, but   
not a single drop of water came from above.  
  
And the wind...it just kept getting stronger...and colder, despite the   
absence of a storm.  
  
She hugged herself tighter, and brushed back the strands of hair that   
strayed to her face. She looked up at the skies again, and for the first   
time noticed the full, glowing shape of the moon, in stark contrast against   
the gray skies. Odd that she didn't see it the first time; it was shining   
in bright yellow, almost lemony in it's hue. Not the usual, pasty white   
she almost always saw whenever she chanced to gaze at the heavens.  
  
Strange.  
  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   
  
  
"She is not yet ready..."  
  
The girl's lips curled into a rueful smile as her golden eyes followed   
the solitary form of the woman, fading into the distance.  
  
"What do you think, Larva?" she asked her companion. Her legs swung back   
and forth below the tree branch in a casual manner, contrasting the   
intensity of her unchanging gaze. She made no movement to rise, but   
continued to stare after the woman, even as she soon disappeared into the   
horizon.  
  
The man behind her stood quietly in the background. For a moment, he too,   
had stared at the woman. But there was something in the wind, as it blew   
stronger and grated through the trees, that had caught his attention. He   
inadvertently drew closer to the girl sitting close by, as his eyes darted   
silently through his mask.  
  
The subtle gesture of sheer protectiveness had not gone unnoticed. The   
girl looked up questioningly at the face behind the mask, wondering at what   
had disturbed him. She felt neither the presence of threat nor shinma, so   
what was it?  
  
She stood up and soon felt the comfort of his arm wound around her waist.   
Those golden eyes stared as he drew her inside his cloak. "Is something   
wrong, Larva?" she asked.  
  
He stood quite still as he gazed out into the night sky, looking as if he   
was trying to hear something inaudible. But the only sound that could be   
heard was that of the rustling leaves, as the cold, unceasing wind swept   
past them.  
  
What then, was that strange sensation he felt in the air? It was a mixture   
of pain, alarm...and an odd familiarity...  
  
He looked down at the girl whom he held in his arms, and met her gaze.   
"No," he said softly, startling her with his reply. "There is nothing   
wrong." He held her gently, telling her in silent communion to ease her   
fears.  
  
But as he stole one more glance at the heavens above, he saw the strange   
glowing of the moon. He could net help but feel a cold dread sweeping   
him up into a torrent of emotions. A vague memory flashed in his mind,   
triggered by the sight that seemed so familiar.  
  
The rising of the thirteenth moon...  
  
___________________________________________________________________________  
Send comments to: Spatula Gurl ucchan@gurlmail.com  
  
Author's notes:  
This fanfic will include several characters from the manga, but I will warn   
you now: the characterization is going to be different. Even the whole   
situation is different, including Larva and Miyu's history. A few   
facts will remain, though, and certain storylines may be borrowed (I'm not   
sure if they're considered spoilers, though, since I'm infusing them with a   
different outcome and version of telling). Larva is still bound to Miyu by   
blood because he had hesitated to kill her. But he can still speak,   
although he does it rarely, and the same goes for the wearing of the mask.  
  
Oh, and yes, this is Larva's story. Well basically, his and Miyu's, but   
most of the telling will be in the view of his situation.  
  
NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN!   
PG 13 for mature themes, occult, and situations. No hardcore,   
don't worry. That kind of thing, more often than not, is lost in VPM   
world. 


End file.
